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Topic: 12.27.2132 - A New Cell (Read 3267 times)

Renee listened to her lieutenants’ report without interruption and with an unchanged serious expression as he passed from subject to subject.

“I hope their bodies don’t surface on the Appleseed shore anytime soon,” she stated without any accusation of wrongdoing hinted in her voice.

Temmit was about to respond but she politely interrupted. “No, no, that wasn’t a condemnation, but merely a concern. Sending them down the garbage shoot was what I would have done in your place as well. I will simply have someone keep an eye on the outer city patrol for awhile.”

Temmit gave a quick nod. In truth he had had the same concern earlier that day. He remained quiet, still waiting for his reply to Leslie’s situation.

Outside Damien’s door, Renee stopped and faced him. She was tired, but the waves of relief emanating from her were very evident to him.

“I am afraid Leslie’s return was just as difficult as her kidnapping. But she is at least safe in her room tonight. Shall I tell you the story over coffee, sausage and bread?” she asked with a slight smile as she held up the bag in one hand and reached for the door with the other.

Temmit's stomach growled noisily, his tongue salivated overmuch, and his face all but melted at the provocative smell and thought of coffee. “I really wish you would, my savior.” He answered appreciatively. As she opened the door, Temmit looked over her shoulder lest Damien be conscious and ready to attack…or missing entirely.

“Savior? That has a nice ring to it,” Renee smirked as she moved into the room. Temmit noted that Damien was in the absolute exact position (and he checked) he left him in just a short while ago.

Renee sat unceremoniously on the floor and started emptying the contents of the sack.A warm waterskin, filled with coffee, was the first to emerge along with Temmits’ very own trusted stein. He imagined that the rest of his belongings from her underground bedroom were in the bag as well.

After the black gold had been presented to him she then took out a small cloth and laid it on the floor. Presenting on it a large bowl of homemade sausage, a chunk of cheese and what appeared to be a fresh loaf of bread. The sausage had a hint of an apple scent and looked absolutely devine.

She looked up at him while he was pouring the precious liquid into his stein. “All compliments of a very thankful mother.”

"I am afraid it was more trouble for poor Leslie than I," she responded seriously. "I recevied the entire story of what happened to Leslie, after the fact, from her mother."

"Didn't you accompany her to the Tavern?" Temmit asked.

"No, but I am getting to that," Renee replied. "We went topside within the theater she was to be 'discovered in'," Renee continued while putting her fingers up to emphasize the words. "Prior to our arrival there I had coached her as much as I could on what her story should be. Her story was to be that she had knocked herself unconscious while watching the show from the rafters above the stage. Hitting both the front and the back of her head."

Temmit slightly winced at the thought of the wounds the small girl had sustained, and the actual truth to how she received them. He breathed in another chunk of sausage as his saviour continued her tale.

"She was to tell the first person in the theater she found her story, and then ask for help getting home. I didn't want to be seen with her lest I raise suspicion and obviously hinder her story."

Renee then took a pull from 'coffee-skin' and smiled at Temmit's forlorn look at the loss of precious fuel.

"Naturally, the first-person who found her rushed her directly back to the Marks Tavern after seeing Leslie's head trauma. Unfortunatley though, Nadell was waiting at the Tavern, for he had setup a miniature headquarters there in his effort to find his lost student."

Temmit caught the portent behind the revelation immediately. Stephen Nadell was the Commander of the Truancy Office and was no man to be trifled with. He was known for his unflinching dedication to his responsibility and his keen intellect at sniffing out the truth. If he wasn't such a danger to Whisper, Temmit would have begged to work for the man years ago.

"Needless to say, because Stephen was there, Leslie's father had to put on a big show of concerned fatherhood."

Temmit winced again.

"Yeah, he practically tore her head off. Yelled at her at the top of his lungs in front of the customers, and more importantly Nadell, right as she entered. He didn't even notice her wounds until he was a good shade of purple."

"Just as William really noticed the state his twelve-year-old daugher was in, Nadell began barking. The scene quickly dissolved into chaos as Nadell rushed to place her under arrest and William rushed to intervene."

"Eventually, Nadell and the laws behind him won out. He took Leslie off to the Truancy Office at school to be questioned."

"Just as William really noticed the state his twelve-year-old daugher was in, Nadell began barking. The scene quickly dissolved into chaos as Nadell rushed to place her under arrest and William rushed to intervene."

"Eventually, Nadell and the laws behind him won out. He took Leslie off to the Truancy Office at school to be questioned."

"Just as William really noticed the state his twelve-year-old daugher was in, Nadell began barking. The scene quickly dissolved into chaos as Nadell rushed to place her under arrest and William rushed to intervene."

"Eventually, Nadell and the laws behind him won out. He took Leslie off to the Truancy Office at school to be questioned."

“Nadell hauled her off to the school without another word. I arrived (at the Tavern) about a half-hand later and got briefed to what occurred by her Mom. William was beside himself with grief and worry. He hadn’t wanted to yell at her, much less seem so callous about her injuries. Yet he couldn’t apologize in front of Nadell lest he, well, you know….”

Temmit nodded and Renee took a long breath to contain her emotions. It had been a long day. One in which she had to kill a great deal of people.

She took a pull from the almost empty coffee-flask.

“The hand of time that followed seemed like an eternity afterwards. Then, just about a half-hand ago,” Renee said as she looked at her watch, “Leslie walked back through the front door alone. William snatched her up and brought her immediately upstairs.”

Renee gave him a smile and an errant tear escaped down a cheek.

“Most likely to shower her with apology and tend to her wounds,” she continued with a sniff. “By the Fates he loves that kid.”

Temmit sensed that William wasn’t the only one. Leslie had a way of getting into a persons’ heart and then camping there…sweetest girl he had ever met.

“Anyway, while her Mom and I were exchanging information on the truth behind it all, she made this exquisite meal for us and wanted me to pass on to you her incredible appreciation.”

With that, Renee unexpectedly leaned over and gave Temmit a peck on the cheek.

Temmit reddened noticeably, even in the ruddy light of cell's lanterns. He truly wasn’t used to being touched, or having people in his personal space. “It’s easy for a mother to be extra emotional about their kids, eh?” There might have been a bit of sadness in his otherwise monotonous voice.

“Well, in truth it’s you that did most of the work.” He admitted. “And deserve the wolf’s share of the credit. I’m glad to have been part of it. You wouldn’t believe the things that I’ve learned about myself today…the growth that I’ve experienced. Or perhaps you would.”